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Local Government Election ReformMinistry of Community, Sport and Cultural DevelopmentP.O. Box 9847 Stn Prov GovtVictoria, BC V8W 9T2Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dear Minister Oakes:

The Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce would like to recognize and commend your efforts in tackling local government election reform in British Columbia. We appreciate your hard work on this issue. This is a critical file for B.C. and one where you have the opportunity to make meaningful, positive change.

That is why I want to share with you the thoughts of the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce and our 500 members regarding an area of concern: B.C.’s lack of a business vote.

The Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development has published a White Paper on Local Government Elections Reform and is inviting comments on the proposed modernization of the legislation. The White Paper reflects the recommendations of the joint Provincial and Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Local Government Elections Task Force. Local government elections rules apply to municipalities, regional districts, parks boards, the Islands Trust and boards of education.

Development Cost Charges are prescribed as an allowable imposition by a local government to assist the local government to pay the capital costs of constructing sewage, water, drainage, and highway facilities and providing and improving parkland.

Development Cost Charges are regulated through the Local Government Act; Division 10, Sections 933-937. The Act lays out the parameters by which local government can implement a DCC Bylaw. The City of Parksville is proposing to introduce a new DCC Bylaw which will see rates increase by 45%.

The Business Plan is the annual working document providing direction to the chamber team for the calendar year 2014. The Strategic Goals contained in the three year Strategic Plan are listed in the Strategic Plan with the specific detail on how these items are to be achieved or advanced this year. Click for the 2014 Business Plan document.

Click <HERE> to read the 2014 Business Plan of the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce.

The Canadian Chamber is very concerned about new “anti-spam” rules the federal government announced two weeks ago.Canadian anti-spam legislation and the corresponding regulations have taken a “ban-all” approach to regulating commercial electronic messages (CEMs).

All emails, SMS texts, social media sent in a commercial context are captured. The legislation will obligate the sender to obtain consent from the receiver prior to sending a CEM. That consent may not be obtained by sending a CEM. The definitions for consent are quite specific and are more demanding than existing privacy legislation.

The legislation also requires an opt-out mechanism in all CEMs which must be backstopped with a database with the details of all business/personal relationships and removals of consent.The administrative penalties for non-compliance are excessive. The rules would also provide powers for private parties to sue under the legislation.

In response to the Canadian Chamber's Policy Alert, the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce has made a submission to our MP.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce the opportunity to present the views of our 500 members on what the government’s priorities for the 2013/14 provincial budget should be.

We will be providing a written submission which details the full range of chamber recommendations for budget 2013.

Our written presentation will address a number of issues we do not have the time to address in our comments today. These will include skills and education, transportation and the role of Crown Corporations.

The news that provincial revenue has taken a $1.4 billion hit as a result of a drop in natural resource revenue is yet another reminder BC is subject to the vagaries of the global economy. We are and will remain price takers on the world stage not price setters.

Further to this we have seen signs that many of the challenges to BC’s economy identified in the First Quarterly Report are moving from a risk into reality.

Primary focus over the past two months has been at the local level. The Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce has met with City Staff and Council for discussions relating to Commercial Water Rates and the Business License Bylaw.

The Chamber’s position on Water Rates is that the primary focus should be paying for infrastructure and this was the position we argued. The City’s primary focus was on conservation and using water rates as the stick to encourage conservation. This is somewhat of a “Double Edged Stick” as there is a budget target for water and too much conservation will require further rate hikes to meet budget. The Chamber’s position was listened to and a compromise of sorts was passed by council resulting in significant increases to both residential and commercial water users, however on the commercial side the increases are not as dramatic as they would have been under the first City proposal. Of the 4300 connections 300 are commercial; this is not an accurate figure as one connection can service one business or 20 businesses, depending on property ownership. The overriding principal remains the same, residential water users far outnumber commercial water users and should be paying their share based on infrastructure.

Our 2010 Annual General Meeting was hosted at The Beach Club Resort. President Gary Child laid out the goals for the coming year, and a new Board of Directors was elected. The Executive and Board members in attendance were sworn in by M.L.A. Ron Cantelon.

It has become apparent that there is a significant issue in obtaining timely local government approvals on Development Permits. We also believe that, with no source of recourse, local governments have the opportunity to withhold approvals until the applicant agrees to take on costs that may or may not be related to the specific project application.

The process for the application of Development Permits varies dramatically between Local Governments across the province. These variances cause confusion for the applicant and result in additional costs due to the uncertainty of the process.

Any review of the competitiveness of the province’s taxation regime must address the fact that small- and medium-sized businesses (SME’s) play a pivotal role in the provincial economy. The Chamber has consistently been the leading voice calling for the recognition of the role played by SME’s in economic growth, job creation, regional and local development and social cohesion for communities across the province.

With this in mind, The Chamber believes that it is critical that the Provincial Government focus on SME’s as they develop their taxation plans.